Romania Opposition Scores Victory Over Spy Chief

Romania's opposition on Tuesday scored an important parliamentary victory when MPs backed its nomination of ex-premier Mihai Razvan Ungureanu as the next director of the Foreign Intelligence Service, SIE.

Ungureanu was backed by 278 votes in favour and six against, out of 554 MPs. Lawmakers from the ruling Social Democrat Party, boycotted the vote on the grounds that President Klaus Iohannis, who nominated Ungureanu, had not consulted them on his choice.

Ungureanu, 46, served as SIE chief from 2007 to 2012. He was prime minister for less than three months in 2012 before being ousted in a no-confidence vote. Social Democrat chief Victor Ponta then became prime minister, a post he has held ever since.

The opposition was supported by the centre-left UNPR party, a junior member of the current ruling coalition, which temporarily switched sides.

The UNPR leader, acting premier Gabriel Oprea, explained the party's position by saying Romania needed a new SIE chief in the current "turbulent geopolitical context", adding that Ungureanu has experience in this regard.

The vote is seen as a test of whether the Social Democrats still have a parliamentary majority. "UNPR support came at a moment when the current ruling coalition is weak and close to broke. The chances of a no-confidence motion toppling the government are now higher," political analyst Dan Tapalaga suggested.

The ruling coalition in Romania, consisting of the Social Democrats, the UNPR and another junior party, holds 58 per cent of the seats in parliament.

But Ponta's recent decision to be leave the country for a month for medical treatment has prompted speculation about his reasons for absence and concern among Social Democrat members.

Ponta is in hospital in...